A Sneak Peek

This time last year our yard was an overgrown mess. I didn't even want to go out there let alone garden. Besides we were way too busy with the inside of the house to really think about venturing outside. It wasn't until the summer that I actually started working in the yard and we know how that turned out. I am hooked.

This is my very first spring in our garden and what a treat it is.  All of our trees and bushes are just starting to bloom. It's so exciting to see it all happening at once. In a week or so we are going to have a very beautiful garden, and I can finally show those before and after shots. For now I am going to give you what my plants are giving me - a sneak peak.

This calla lily was the first thing to pop it's head up this year. It's huge. I didn't plant this, it just appeared. It's one of the magical plants that appear in my garden that Aurora probably planted years ago. When they arrive I welcome them with open arms.

I got this hydrangea at the supermarket as an Easter present for Joey. The flowers had been died blue and I am sure it wasn't intended to last much longer than a few weeks. I hate to throw plants away so I found a little spot for it in the garden. At first I was certain it was going to die, but all of the sudden it took off. It's really quite beautiful and as you can see it's gone back to it's natural color.

This is my Petite Butterflies Sweet Pea shrub and the only thing that's petite about it is the flowers. I got four of these and they were cute little plants. Now they are huge, but they are really hardy and quite beautiful.

Sweet Breath of Heaven. Isn't that a wonderful name? The picture does not do this little bush justice. The green is very vibrant and the tiny flowers a perfect pink.

Jasmine. Pure magic. I have always wanted one of these and now I have two. One is in full bloom and it smells heavenly. I intend to let it take up an entire part of my yard and just sit out there and take in the fragrance.

Now it wouldn't be our garden without Aurora's rose bushes. When I first moved in one of the first things I thought was that the roses have to go. They can be ugly bushes and, let me tell you, they are a pain in the ass to tend to. However, after a year I have grown to love them. They are still a pain in the ass, but apart from the beautiful flowers there is a lot of sentiment that goes along with them. They are just starting to bloom and these are the first ones.

Not to be shown up by the bushes, our trees are also showing off. Our lemon tree is particularly interesting because it has tons of fruit but is also just starting to bloom. What a wonderful fragrance. 

I can't even begin to tell you how much I love our apple tree. It's been so bare and suddenly it's coming back to life. Soon it will provide us with the sweetest little green apples.

Finally, this is our little dogwood tree, but more importantly is our pigeon, Ellen, in the background. Ellen has been gardening with me almost since the beginning. She's always there and each time there is something new she comes to inspect it. So far she approves of our garden.